4 Black teenagers accused of murdering a El Savadoran Immigrant, Why is the left not yelling hate crime.
Nigel Dumas had been charged with manslaughter; bail set at $250,000
By Minhaj Hassan • Staff writer
• July 28, 2010
Three
teenagers accused in the beating death of a Summit man have been
charged with murder, after the Union County Prosecutor's Office upgraded
the charge from manslaughter, authorities said
Nigel
Dumas, 19, of Morristown, was among the teens charged with the murder
of Abelino Mazariego, 47, who was attacked at 9:25 p.m. on July 17,
while sitting on a bench in the Summit Promenade, a pedestrian plaza
featuring benches, a water feature and planters set just off Springfield
Avenue, police said.
Union County Prosecutor Theodore
Romankow said Mazariego was transported to Overlook Hospital but never
regained consciousness and died on the afternoon of July 20. The Union
County Medical Examiner determined that Mazariego died from brain
injuries he suffered in the beating.
Dabbawalla, an Indian restaurant located across the street from the
park, when he was attacked, authorities said.
Colin
Crasto, manager at Dabbawalla, said Mazariego worked there as a
dishwasher and food preparer for more than three years. He said
Mazariego never missed a day of work.
While they never
socialized, and a language barrier created some difficulty, Crasto said
Mazariego was a fun person to have around.
"He was a
very jovial guy, very hardworking," Crasto said, adding that the
restaurant has set up a donation box to collect funds for the victim's
family's expenses. "He was the breadwinner of the family."
The other two individuals involved in the attack were 18-year-old
Khayri Williams-Clark and a 17-year-old boy, both Summit residents.
It's not known what compelled the teens to attack Mazariego, a
Salvadoran immigrant who was a father of four children. His wallet
contained more than $600, which was later stolen by an emergency room
nurse at Overlook Hospital. Hospital officials said the nurse, Stephan
Randolph, 39, of Flemington, has been fired from the job.
Randolph has been charged by the Union County Prosecutor's Office with 3rd-degree theft.
A fourth teen who had recorded the incident with a cell phone camera
has not been charged. The video footage was passed around among Summit
teens,
authorities said. It aired on ABC last week.
Dumas' first court appearance has yet to be scheduled.
George Clapps, 25, a financial consultant and a
friend of Dumas, said he helped book gigs around the Morristown area for
Dumas, an aspiring R&B; singer who went by the stage name Robby
Guarantee.
Clapps described his friend as open-minded and caring.
He met Dumas two years ago at Calvary Baptist Church on Martin Luther
King Avenue, where Dumas was part of the choir and Bible study group.
He said he was shocked when he heard about the murder charge, adding
that Dumas had so much potential and was determined to make it big.
Clapps said Dumas ran track and played basketball at Morristown High School, where he graduated in 2010.
He said Dumas lived with a younger brother and his mother.
They hung out pretty regularly, and made occasional jaunts to New York City, the movies and bowling.
Clapps said Dumas looked up to him like a big brother, seeking advice and "positive reinforcement."
"He would always call me up looking for positive feedback," Clapps said.
While he didn't have any studio recordings, Clapps said Dumas was
passionate about singing and performed at the Neighborhood House, local
talent shows and church functions.
Dumas had plans to go to college to study audio engineering, according to Clapps.
"I always emphasized to him the importance of getting an education," Clapps said.
David Walker, executive director of the Neighborhood House, said he
didn't recall Dumas, but added he could have very well performed at the
center's annual outdoor festival, where many participants perform upon
recommendations from churches and other groups.
The Rev. Jerry M. Carter of Calvary Baptist Church was not immediately available for comment.
Dumas is currently at the Union County jail with bail set at $250,000. The investigation remains open.
The Union County Homicide Task Force and the Summit Police Department
are continuing to gather and examine evidence and take additional
witness statements, police said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. Minhaj
Hassan: 973-428-6628; mhassan@gannett.com
Top Opinion
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KSJR362 - Not what you think 2010/08/03 01:17:23

















They will say he was here "illegally" so he doesn't deserve to live. They are sick.
http://www.sodahead.com/unite...
I am 100% sure you have broken a law at LEAST once in your life. Does this mean that since you are also an "illegal" that I should kill you?
No criminal charges related to a, "hate," crime have been filed. The authorities are the ones with the evidence, not the newspapers or a radio station.
The authorities say this was an attempted robbery. Why kids do anything is anyone's guess. Your guess is racism. The police disagree with you. The evidence, according to what I have read, does not support allegations of racism.
Is it possible that these kids, or one of the kids doesn't like people from El Salvador? Of course, but where is the evidence? You and I cannot see into the hearts and minds of others. That is why I don't make those sorts of judgments; I rely on the evidence.
This link will provide the basis for my response
http://www.dailyrecord.com/ar...
As far as news coverage, I assume you mean national tv coverage. Not every local story makes it to the national news for a variety of reasons. Most local stories don't make national news.
Err...keyboard?